OSCAs for Newbury cricketing stalwarts

Umpiring and all-round work recognised for outstanding service

Fri, 14 Aug 2015

Reporter:

Malcolm Howe

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Charlie Anstey

LOCAL cricket umpiring supremo John Golding and Newbury Cricket Club stalwart Charlie Anstey stepped up to receive OSCAs at the Ageas Bowl during Hampshire’s Royal London One Day cup match against Essex Eagles last week.

The OSCAs - Outstanding Services to Cricket Awards - are given to a select few each year to reward the contribution that volunteers make to the game.

John Golding caught the umpiring bug 11 years ago when he began standing for Quantel’s T20 team in the then Charles Hoile Berkshire Downs League, now the Red Kite Building Solutions Downs League. He joined the Berkshire Cricket Officials Association and after gaining experience at higher levels of cricket, became the county’s umpire training officer.

Golding and his team have now successfully trained more than 120 umpires and scorers from beginner to Level 2 qualification, and he continues to umpire Thames Valley League matches as well as being one a select band of non-forces personnel to umpire top level matches for the Army.

He also stands and mentors newly-trained umpires in county age group games and runs the BCOA's website and Facebook page.

Charlie Anstey last year handed over the captaincy reins at Newbury, and the secretaryship, after 19 consecutive years of service to the club.

During that time he has performed so many roles in the club and it is impossible to gauge the impact he has had, but Anstey is largely responsible for the club’s continued existence and recent development successes. His OSCA is titled ‘Heartbeat of the Club.’

He continues to play for Newbury and still regularly appears in the Best of the Week.